Cuttack: Raising concern over increasing stress levels and manpower shortage in Odisha police, advocate Shivsankar Mohanty has filed a fresh public interest litigation (PIL) in Orissa high court, seeking urgent intervention to address mental health issues among men-in-uniform.In his petition filed on April 6, Mohanty has urged the court to direct the director-general of police (DGP) to take immediate and effective steps to deal with cases of depression, workplace stress and overall mental well-being of personnel. He has also sought directions for filling up large-scale vacancies in the force, arguing that staff shortages are significantly contributing to excessive workload and institutional stress.However, the PIL has not been listed for hearing so far.Mohanty cited recent incidents to underline the gravity of the situation. These include the death of a jail warden under mysterious circumstances at Jharpada jail in Bhubaneswar on March 6, 2026, the alleged suicide of a constable at Nayagarh reserve police campus on Feb 5, 2026, and the resignation of a woman havildar in Angul on April 4, 2026, reportedly due to prolonged workplace pressure.Highlighting the manpower gap, the petition stated that the civil police strength in Odisha stands at 25,766 against a sanctioned 35,024, while the armed reserve has 9,423 personnel against 10,579 sanctioned posts. It also pointed to 1,634 vacant sub-inspector posts and 6,218 constable vacancies.
